Hope of a Coming Day

This was actually delivered on Easter Sunday; but, I find it very appropriate after the tornados that ravaged the South--particularly the area around my hometown in Alabama...

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell
Thousands of years ago, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed the Lord’s great promise of a coming day: "Beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3). To all who face the ugly realities of life, to any who mourn the loss of a loved one, to all who feel the weight of life’s burdens, consider the glorious promise of an empty tomb: what once was dead is alive, what once was broken is whole, what once was lost is found.

One older couple experienced these realities in a personal way when their home caught fire and burned to the ground. Shocked and saddened, the couple began the painful process of rebuilding their home and their lives. They will tell you that it wasn’t easy, but all along the way they were comforted by thoughtful neighbors, caring friends, and devoted family members. They tried to remember their blessings and focus on what matters most.

They came to know that even in times of trial, against what seemed like overwhelming challenges, life goes on. No matter how dark the night, the sun rises again in the morning. No matter how deep the ashes, they can give rise to beauty. And any burden, no matter how heavy, can ultimately be lifted.

Even though life can be hard at times, we can trust divine promises and hold on to the hope of a coming day. On a spring day never to be forgotten, simple words with the most profound message were spoken. Those words, uttered in a garden near an empty tomb some two thousand years ago, still resound in our hearts with hope and sweet assurance: "He is not here: for he is risen” (Matthew 28:6).